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haifa

Due to a series of farcical miscommunications, my outfits in Israel weren’t exactly up to par for a fashion blog post– “colder” in Israel does not equate to “colder” in England; “modest dress for a holy site” doesn’t mean hide the cleavage, it means hide your shoulders, knees, and cleavage. That being said, despite the fact I was constantly burning up, Israel was fantastic. I’m going to spare you any outsider commentary on the political/ religious tensions, as more than ever I’m convinced I’m not equipped or informed enough to comment, but I can’t help but share a gratuitous number of photos. We divided our time between Haifa, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem, and I’ll tell you a little about each below.

Haifa

This is a northern city (about an hour and a half from Jerusalem) known for its Baha’i Gardens which you can see here. The University of Haifa is also one of the only schools that offers a masters in underwater archeology.

Jerusalem

And many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Micah 4:2

We spent most of our time in Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. This was particularly nice as the view up there is spectacular, the olive groves are refreshingly peaceful, and there is an adorable church we wandered into which had the Lord’s prayer in (nearly) every language. When we climbed to the top, a few of the things we wanted to see had closed for lunch, so we ended up camping out on top of this roof. We were the only ones there, and it felt like we had all of Jerusalem at our fingertips!

Going to Bethlehem is a pilgrimage for every Christian. As we crowded into the area where Jesus was supposedly born, the energy was effervescent, and there was an overwhelming feeling of the pending majesty we all anticipated around the corner. What you may not realize about Bethlehem, and what I was also unaware of at my arrival, is that it is one of the only remaining Palestinian cities. With my ignorance as to the situation, it could only be more of a shock at the fact that Bethlehem was part of the area directly walled from Jerusalem. I have to say, with this trip coming directly on the heels of Berlin, there were some uncomfortable parallels to be made.

Here is, as the owner claimed, the only Starbucks in Palestine, and of course we had to stop. Regardless of the, er, unique branding, the service and the coffee remained excellent. Afterwards, we made some typical purchases, meaning I am the happy owner of a very colorful rug (which is still perplexing me in regards to my future travel arrangements).

Thanks for reading this post. I have tried to remain largely non-confrontational and neutral, but should anything be cause for discussion, please feel free to message me privately, and I will try to respond as quickly as possible.